The Panza Monologues NYC Book Release Party

Co-authorsVirginia Grise and Irma Mayorga celebrated the release of their book The Panza Monologues, Second Edition (University of Texas Press, 2014). The panza-packed day included readings from The Panza Monologues by the authors and special guests Claudia Acosta, Migdalia Cruz and Kai Diata Giovanni, a book signing, and music by DJ Spiritchild.

Part “DIY” manual for making theater, part memoir of Tejana lives, part manifesto, The Panza Monologues, features the words of Chicanas speaking with humor and candor about their panzas—tú sabes—that roll of belly we all try to hide! With the full performance script and a wealth of materials for producing, teaching, and using the play to build community, The Panza Monologues discusses issues concerning women making independent theater, body image, and Chicana cultural production and its material realities. Latina/o studies scholar Alberto Sandoval-Sanchez calls it “The most original and historically documented theatre project to date in Latina/o theatre...It is a lesson in making theatre matter, and it spotlights how theatre is informed by lived experiences and historical processes.” The play and its many stories boldly place the panza front and center as a symbol that reveals the lurking truths about women's thoughts, lives, loves, abuses, and lived conditions.